Thought-provoking trip to Battlefields
Girls in U4 and L5 have recently returned from another fantastic Battlefields trip to Belgium and Northern France.
On Friday 14th February the group travelled to Ypres in Belgium, a hugely significant city on the Western Front in the First World War. Once the wellies and head torches were on, girls explored the very real and very muddy British and German front line trenches that have been preserved at Hill 62, with some even braving the pitch-black secret tunnels.
On Saturday, they began to reflect on the enormity of the conflict and the scale of lives lost, visiting Langemark and Tyne Cot cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world.
As always, the History Department aims to support pupils in finding their own relatives resting places on the Western Front and bring to life some of their personal stories. Olivia and Rebecca were able to lay a wreath for their fallen family members at the moving Menin Gate ceremony whilst Grace was proud to visit the memorial for her great, great uncle who had been awarded the distinguished service order for his role as a fighter pilot. These visits, as well as Belgian chocolate shopping and venturing deep underground to a secret British barracks on our final day, all made for a memorable trip which brought to life the realities of the Great War for those who attended.
